11779 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

I got Lisa’s mailout this morning...

For some reason, so did I, but I never have before. I suppose I was added to her mailing list after I sent my recent email to council regarding my concerns around the Clover Point proposal. How very Ben Isitt of her. Strangely enough, her message was automatically filtered into my "junk mail" folder. That seemed apropos.

[spanky123]

I got Lisa’s mailout this morning. I only quickly skimmed it because a closer reading that early in the day would make my blood boil. Her arrogance and casual dismissal of the concerns of Victoria residents is truly breathtaking. I hope she returns to her home planet sooner rather than later.

I can give you the short notes:

She is right, you are wrong and if you disagree with that it is because covid has made you sad and depressed, you live in a toxic echo chamber, and/or you listen to CFAX.

Oh and she understands why you were upset about Clover Point but it was all staff’s and the Fairfield NA’s fault as she always wanted consultation before action!

[Mike K.]

Many of your emails seek to understand why this proposal and why now, what about consultation, and how will we consider accessibility concerns? There are also many of you who have sent passionate emails saying it’s a really good idea to change Clover Point in the way that we’re proposing. I’m not going to take a “side” here, because I think it’s always more complex than sides.  I’m going to talk about the circumstances that the led to this proposal, and about engagement, consultation and accessibility. Then I’ll talk about next steps and where we go from here.

 

 

What does that even mean? She told Potts she wholeheartedly disagrees with her position that vehicles should be accommodated in some way at Clover Point. She's already taken the side of 'get rid of the cars.'

[Nparker]

..She's already taken the side of 'get rid of the cars.'

Lisa Helps is nothing if not cunning. I suspect she assumes more people will believe her "heart felt" missive sent directly to them than her actions at the recent council meeting. I am not one of those people.

[Mike K.]

Also, this is peculiar:

 

There is this great movement afoot in the United States called, “Make America Purple,” where Democrats and Republicans with strongly held views sit down, one-on-one, and have a conversation. What they’re finding is that they have more in common than what sets them apart. I’ve done this too. Some of you may remember a few years ago when Paul Seal who ran a Facebook page called Victoria BC Today was waging what felt like pretty personal attacks on me online. I invited him to my house for tea. And he came! We found that there were quite a few things we could agree on and also that it felt good for both of us to have a face to face conversation.

 

 

If we recall, Seal claimed Helps was running not one but two AirBnB's out of her home. He was quite upset over the mayor insisting seniors should open their homes up to homeless people.

 

The whole story of that AirBnB operation was bizarre, in that Helps said she was just a tenant in that home, but multiple people said the landlord was her partner. That woman also provided Helps with large in-kind donations for her council and first mayoral campaigns (maybe the second, too?). After news of the AirBnBs broke, the two units were shut down. Also, at that time Helps and council were pursuing banning full suite AirBnB's as a means of tackling the housing crisis.

 

This is so odd. And why bring that up all these years later? What purpose does it serve?

 

Also, the below disabled person sounds like a fairly active former City Hall employee and big backer of Helps' overall agenda and vision.

 

Jeez, the rabbit hole just got so much deeper today.

 

And from a person with a disability:

“Fully support the proposed changes — I have a toddler and avoid Clover Point. We walk down to Dallas Road and there’s nothing for us at Clover Point.

“The cars backing in and out, the exhaust, and the fact that the green space is enclosed on all sides by a parking lot makes it unsafe and frankly, super boring. Which is a shame because it’s such an incredible and unique spot!

“I love the city’s new vision and I’d love to see Clover Point made into an actual park.

“I have a disability which among other things means that I can’t drive. Make Clover Point a safe, accessible place and everyone wins. There are tons of other places to park in a storm and look out the window.

“Maybe some wind breaks in the new design would be neat.

“Also, shout out to Councilor Young who first proposed this back in 1994! Wow!”

 

[rmpeers]

I can give you the short notes:

She is right, you are wrong and if you disagree with that it is because covid has made you sad and depressed, you live in a toxic echo chamber, and/or you listen to CFAX.

Oh and she understands why you were upset about Clover Point but it was all staff’s and the Fairfield NA’s fault as she always wanted consultation before action!

There are people who lack the intelligence or brain function to realize that they are not always right about everything. I sort of feel sorry for them, except when they are able to exert their ignorance over others.

[kitty surprise]

And from a person with a disability:

“Fully support the proposed changes — I have a toddler and avoid Clover Point. We walk down to Dallas Road and there’s nothing for us at Clover Point.

“The cars backing in and out, the exhaust, and the fact that the green space is enclosed on all sides by a parking lot makes it unsafe and frankly, super boring. Which is a shame because it’s such an incredible and unique spot!

“I love the city’s new vision and I’d love to see Clover Point made into an actual park.

“I have a disability which among other things means that I can’t drive. Make Clover Point a safe, accessible place and everyone wins. There are tons of other places to park in a storm and look out the window.

“Maybe some wind breaks in the new design would be neat.

“Also, shout out to Councilor Young who first proposed this back in 1994! Wow!”

 

I immediately thought these were coerced/coached reviews, just like those paid fake Amazon reviews.

 

Can they please stop dancing around the issue and just come right out and admit: 

 

"I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic."

 

Helps/Isitt can literally borrow word for word from Trump's Woodward interview. 

[rmpeers]

Also, this is peculiar:


If we recall, Seal claimed Helps was running not one but two AirBnB's out of her home. He was quite upset over the mayor insisting seniors should open their homes up to homeless people.

The whole story of that AirBnB operation was bizarre, in that Helps said she was just a tenant in that home, but multiple people said the landlord was her partner. That woman also provided Helps with large in-kind donations for her council and first mayoral campaigns (maybe the second, too?). After news of the AirBnBs broke, the two units were shut down. Also, at that time Helps and council were pursuing banning full suite AirBnB's as a means of tackling the housing crisis.

This is so odd. And why bring that up all these years later? What purpose does it serve?

Also, the below disabled person sounds like a fairly active former City Hall employee and big backer of Helps' overall agenda and vision.

Jeez, the rabbit hole just got so much deeper today.

These "real" comments are unintentionally hilarious, but I appreciate the mayor taking time out of her busy schedule to write these.

[Mike K.]

It's all a bit much, indeed.

[rmpeers]

It's like the way Helps and Dubow will cherrypick the nastiest emails or comments they ever received and use as ammo for claiming that anyone who criticizes them is a phony, troll, etc. Basically just just a way to diminish anyone who criticizes them. And here she uses unverifiable "comments" to support her agenda.

[rjag]

Confirmation bias is alive and well at City Hall

[mbjj]

I was googling and looked at the Fairfield Gonzales Neighbourhood Assoc. page. It states that Isitt was a past director. Has he ever lived in Fairfield? 

[Mike K.]

Looks like he did if he was a director. He’s been living in Quadra-Hillside for some time now.

[Nparker]

...Has [Isitt] ever lived in Fairfield? 

Looks like he did if he was a director. He’s been living in Quadra-Hillside for some time now.

He must have recovered from his case of affluenza.

[rmpeers]

He must have recovered from his case of affluenza.

In his new role as liaison, maybe Dr. Bennie can give us daily updates on the Fairfield affluenza pandemic.

[A Girl is No one]

He owns a unit at the Parkside (and he rents it out to tourists for profit). Is that in Fairfield ?

[jrm]

Vancouver Street is an abomination!  How are emergency vehicles going to get around that mess?  Why did they not do just an ordinary bike lane?

It also serves as a useful distraction for all the dumb road closures like Vancouver St 

[rmpeers]

Vancouver Street is an abomination! How are emergency vehicles going to get around that mess? Why did they not do just an ordinary bike lane?

It is astonshingly bad. No local government of even the slightest ability would have paid a dime for that. It is hilarious though to hear the handful of people who try to explain how good it is.

Edited by rmpeers, 15 February 2021 - 07:51 PM.

[spanky123]

It is astonshingly bad. No local government of even the slightest ability would have paid a dime for that. It is hilarious though to hear the handful of people who try to explain how good it is.

 

The stated goal was to cut vehicle traffic by 75%. That goal was accomplished.

[spanky123]

It's like the way Helps and Dubow will cherrypick the nastiest emails or comments they ever received and use as ammo for claiming that anyone who criticizes them is a phony, troll, etc. Basically just just a way to diminish anyone who criticizes them. And here she uses unverifiable "comments" to support her agenda.

 

When the vast majority of our local business and community leaders meet with the Mayor they are glowing with praise and highly supportive of her agenda. It is not hard to see how the Mayor believes she has widespread support for her plans. What we really need are people to state their minds to the Mayor, not just to their buddies after they have met with the Mayor.